ESSAY
Dictionary entry overview: What does essay mean?
• ESSAY (noun)
The noun ESSAY has 2 senses:
1. an analytic or interpretive literary composition
2. a tentative attempt
Familiarity information: ESSAY used as a noun is rare.
• ESSAY (verb)
The verb ESSAY has 2 senses:
1. make an effort or attempt
2. put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to
Familiarity information: ESSAY used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• ESSAY (noun)
Meaning:
An analytic or interpretive literary composition
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("essay" is a kind of...):
piece of writing; writing; written material (the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "essay"):
composition; paper; report; theme (an essay (especially one written as an assignment))
disquisition (an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion)
memoir (an essay on a scientific or scholarly topic)
thanatopsis (an essay expressing a view on the subject of death)
Meaning:
A tentative attempt
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("essay" is a kind of...):
attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)
• ESSAY (verb)
Meaning:
Make an effort or attempt
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
try; essay; attempt; assay; seek
Context examples:
He tried to shake off his fears / The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps / The police attempted to stop the thief / He sought to improve himself / She always seeks to do good in the world
Hypernyms (to "essay" is one way to...):
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "essay"):
lay on the line; put on the line; risk (expose to a chance of loss or damage)
adventure; chance; gamble; hazard; risk; run a risk; take a chance; take chances (take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome)
give it a try; give it a whirl (try)
endeavor; endeavour; strive (attempt by employing effort)
grope (search blindly or uncertainly)
give it a try; have a go (make an attempt at something)
fight; struggle (make a strenuous or labored effort)
pick up the gauntlet; take a dare (be dared to do something and attempt it)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Sentence example:
They essay to move
Meaning:
Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
test; try out; essay; try; examine; prove
Context examples:
This approach has been tried with good results / Test this recipe
Hypernyms (to "essay" is one way to...):
evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "essay"):
control; verify (verify or regulate by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard, of scientific experiments)
float (circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with)
field-test (test something under the conditions under which it will actually be used)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
